into rain, watered all the Country moſt wholſomly. Moreover Ruffus a Phyſitian of Epheſus, beſides many other Authours, wrote ſtrange things concerning the wonders of Waters, which, for ought I know, are found in no other Authour.
It remains that I ſpeak of the Aire. This is a vitall ſpirit, paſſing through all Beings, giving life, and ſubſiſtence to all things, binding, moving, and filling all things. Hence it is that the Hebrew Doctors reckon it not amongſt the Elements, but count it as a Medium or glew, joyning things together, and as the reſounding ſpirit of the worlds inſtrument. It immediately receives into it ſelf the influences of all Celeſtiall bodies, and then communicates them to the other Elements, as alſo to all mixt bodies: Alſo it receives into it ſelf, as it were a divine Looking-glaſs, the ſpecies of all things, as well naturall, as artificiall, as alſo of all manner of ſpeeches, and retains them; And carrying them with it, and entering into the bodies of Men, and other Animals, through their pores, makes an Impreſſion upon them, as well when they ſleep, as when they be awake, and affords matter for divers ſtrange Dreams and Divinations. Hence they ſay it is, that a man paſſing by a place where a man was ſlain, or the Carkaſe newly hid, is moved with fear and dread; becauſe the Aire in that place being full of the dreadfull ſpecies of Man-ſlaughter, doth, being breathed in, move and trouble the ſpirit of the man with the like ſpecies, whence it is that he comes to be afraid. For every thing that makes a ſudden impreſſion, aſtoniſheth nature. Whence it is, that many Philoſophers were of opinion that Aire is the cauſe of dreams, and of many other impreſſions of the mind, through the prolonging of Images, or ſimilitudes, or ſpecies (which are fallen from things and ſpeeches, multiplyed in the very Aire) untill they come to the ſenſes, and then to the phantaſy, and ſoul of him that receives them, which being freed from cares, and no way hindred, expecting to meet ſuch kind of ſpecies, is informed by them. For the ſpecies of things, although of their own proper nature, they are carryed to the ſenſes of men, and other animals in generall, may notwithſtanding get ſome impreſſion from the Heaven, wileſt they
